(If you can, go to mass today. If you can't, read the mass propers
for today, found on pages 199-200of the Book of Common Prayer.)

The First
Lesson
Ecclesiasticus 1:18-27
18 The fear of the LORD is a crown of wisdom,making peace and
perfect health to flourish; both which are the gifts of God:
and it enlargeth their rejoicing that love him.
19 Wisdom raineth down skill and knowledge of understanding,
and exalteth them to honour that hold her fast.
20 The root of wisdom is to fear the LORD, and the branches thereof
are long life.
21 The fear of the LORD driveth away sins: and where it is present,
it turneth away wrath.
22 A furious man cannot be justified; for the sway of his fury
shall be his destruction.
23 A patient man will bear for a time, and afterward joy shall
spring up unto him.
24 He will hide his words for a time, and the lips of many shall
declare his wisdom.
25 The parables of knowledge are in the treasures of wisdom:
but godliness is an abomination to a sinner.
26 If thou desire wisdom, keep the commandments, and the LORD
shall give her unto thee.27 For
the fear of the LORD is wisdom and instruction: and faith and
meekness are his delight.

The Second
Lesson
John 7:14-24
14 Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple,
and taught.
15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters,
having never learned?
16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but
his that sent me.
17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine,
whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he
that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no
unrighteousness is in him.
19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth
the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
20 The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth
about to kill thee?
21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and
ye all marvel.
22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it
is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise
a man.
23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the
law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because
I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?24 Judge
not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

The First
Lesson
Ecclesiasticus 6:22-37
22 Wisdom is according to her name, and she is not manifest unto
many.
23 Give ear, my son, receive my advice, and refuse not my counsel,24 And
put thy feet into her fetters, and thy neck into her chain.
25 Bow down thy shoulder, and bear her, and be not grieved with
her bonds.
26 Come unto her with thy whole heart, and keep her ways with
all thy power.
27 Search, and seek, and she shall be made known unto thee: and
when thou hast got hold of her, let her not go.
28 For at the last thou shalt find her rest, and that shall be
turned to thy joy.
29 Then shall her fetters be a strong defence for thee, and her
chains a robe of glory.
30 For there is a golden ornament upon her, and her bands are
purple lace.
31 Thou shalt put her on as a robe of honour, and shalt put her
about thee as a crown of joy.
32 My son, if thou wilt, thou shalt be taught: and if thou wilt
apply thy mind, thou shalt be prudent.
33 If thou love to hear, thou shalt receive understanding: and
if thou bow thine ear, thou shalt be wise.
34 Stand in the multitude of the elders; and cleave unto him
that is wise.
35 Be willing to hear every godly discourse; and let not the
parables of understanding escape thee.
36 And if thou seest a man of understanding, get thee betimes
unto him, and let thy foot wear the steps of his door.
37 Let thy mind be upon the ordinances of the LORD, and meditate
continually in his commandments: he shall establish then hearts,
and give thee wisdom at thine own desire.

The Second
Lesson
Luke 10:38-42
38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a
certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him
into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus'
feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him,
and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me
to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou
art careful and troubled about many things:42 But
one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which
shall not be taken away from her.

The First
Lesson
1 Samuel 11:1-13
1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead:
and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with
us, and we will serve thee.
2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will
I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right
eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.
3 And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days'
respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel:
and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to
thee.
4 Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings
in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their
voices, and wept.
5 And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and
Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told
him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.
6 And the spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings,
and his anger was kindled greatly.
7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent
them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers,
saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel,
so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell
on the people, and they came out with one consent.
8 And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel
were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9 And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye
say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, Tomorrow, by that time the
sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and showed
it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out
unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto
you.
11 And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three
companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning
watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and
it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so
that two of them were not left together.
12 And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall
Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this
day: for today the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel.

The Second
Lesson
Luke 15:1-10
1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to
hear him.
2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth
sinners, and eateth with them.
3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of
them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and
go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and
neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found
my sheep which was lost.
7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one
sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons,
which need no repentance.
8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose
one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and
seek diligently till she find it?
9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her
neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found
the piece which I had lost.10 Likewise,
I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of
God over one sinner that repenteth.

The First
Lesson
Daniel 6:1-8
1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty
princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first:
that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king
should have no damage.
3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes,
because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought
to set him over the whole realm.
4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against
Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion
nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any
error or fault found in him.
5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against
this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law
of his God.
6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the
king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes,
the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to
establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever
shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save
of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that
it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians,
which altereth not.

The Second
Lesson
Acts 26:1-23
1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for
thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for
himself:
2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer
for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof
I am accused of the Jews:
3 Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs
and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee
to hear me patiently.
4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among
mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that
after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made
of God unto our fathers:
7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God
day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa,
I am accused of the Jews.
8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that
God should raise the dead?
9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things
contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints
did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief
priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against
them.
11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled
them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I
persecuted them even unto strange cities.
12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission
from the chief priests,
13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above
the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which
journeyed with me.
14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice
speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul,
why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against
the pricks.
15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom
thou persecutest.
16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto
thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness
both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things
in the which I will appear unto thee;
17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto
whom now I send thee,
18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light,
and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness
of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith
that is in me.19 Whereupon,
O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
20 But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem,
and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles,
that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for
repentance.
21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went
about to kill me.
22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this
day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things
than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first
that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the
people, and to the Gentiles.

The First
Lesson
1 Samuel 11:14-12:5
14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal,
and renew the kingdom there.
15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul
king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices
of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the
men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
1 And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto
your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king
over you.
2 And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old
and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have
walked before you from my childhood unto this day.3 Behold,
here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his
anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or
whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand
have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I
will restore it you.
4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us,
neither hast thou taken aught of any man's hand.
5 And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and
his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught
in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.

The Second
Lesson
Luke 15:11-32
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me
the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto
them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together,
and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his
substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in
that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country;
and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that
the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants
of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with
hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father,
I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one
of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet
a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and
ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven,
and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best
robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes
on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us
eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost,
and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew
nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things
meant.
27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father
hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe
and sound.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his
father out, and entreated him.
29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years
do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment:
and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with
my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured
thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted
calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all
that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this
thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is
found.

The First
Lesson
Daniel 6:9-15
9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went
into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward
Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed,
and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making
supplication before his God.
12 Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning
the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every
man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty
days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?
The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the
law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel,
which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth
not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh
his petition three times a day.
14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased
with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and
he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the
king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is,
That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be
changed.

The Second
Lesson
Acts 26:24-27:8
24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud
voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make
thee mad.
25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth
the words of truth and soberness.
26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak
freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden
from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou
believest.
28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to
be a Christian.
29 And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also
all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such
as I am, except these bonds.
30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor,
and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
31 And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves,
saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set
at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.
1 And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy,
they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named
Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band.
2 And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning
to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian
of Thessalonica, being with us.
3 And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously
entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to
refresh himself.
4 And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus,
because the winds were contrary.
5 And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia,
we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.
6 And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing
into Italy; and he put us therein.
7 And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come
over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under
Crete, over against Salmone;
8 And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The
fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.

The First
Lesson
1 Samuel 12:19-24
19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants
unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto
all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.
20 And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all
this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD,
but serve the LORD with all your heart;
21 And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things,
which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's
sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the
LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good
and the right way:24 Only
fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for
consider how great things he hath done for you.

The Second
Lesson
Luke 16:1-18
1 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich
man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that
he had wasted his goods.
2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear
this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest
be no longer steward.
3 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for
my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to
beg I am ashamed.
4 I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship,
they may receive me into their houses.
5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and
said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?
6 And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him,
Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.
7 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said,
An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy
bill, and write fourscore.
8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done
wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation
wiser than the children of light.
9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon
of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you
into everlasting habitations.
10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also
in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in
much.
11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous
mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another
man's, who shall give you that which is your own?13 No
servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one,
and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise
the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these
things: and they derided him.
15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves
before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly
esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time
the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle
of the law to fail.
18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth
adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her
husband committeth adultery.

The First
Lesson
Daniel 6:16-23, 25-27
16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast
him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel,
Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den;
and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet
of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning
Daniel.
18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting:
neither were instruments of music brought before him: and his
sleep went from him.
19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in
haste unto the den of lions.
20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice
unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel,
servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually,
able to deliver thee from the lions?
21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths,
that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency
was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no
hurt.
23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that
they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken
up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him,
because he believed in his God.
25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages,
that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men
tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living
God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall
not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.27 He
delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in
heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power
of the lions.

The Second
Lesson
Acts 27:9-26
9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous,
because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,
10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will
be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship,
but also of our lives.11 Nevertheless
the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship,
more than those things which were spoken by Paul.
12 And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the
more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they
might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven
of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.
13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had
obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by
Crete.
14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind,
called Euroclydon.
15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the
wind, we let her drive.
16 And running under a certain island which is called Clauda,
we had much work to come by the boat:
17 Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding
the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands,
strake sail, and so were driven.
18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day
they lightened the ship;
19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling
of the ship.
20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and
no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved
was then taken away.
21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of
them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not
have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall
be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.
23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I
am, and whom I serve,
24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar:
and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that
it shall be even as it was told me.
26 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

The First
Lesson
1 Samuel 15:1-9
1 Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee
to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken
thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.
2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek
did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came
up from Egypt.
3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they
have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant
and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
4 And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in
Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of
Judah.
5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.
6 And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from
among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye showed
kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out
of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest
to Shur, that is over against Egypt.
8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly
destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.9 But
Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and
of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that
was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing
that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

The Second
Lesson
Luke 16:19-31
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple
and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid
at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the
rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried
by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and
was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth
Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and
send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water,
and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime
receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things:
but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf
fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot;
neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest
send him to my father's house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest
they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets;
let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them
from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

The First
Lesson
Esther 2:5-8, 17-23
5 Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name
was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of
Kish, a Benjamite;
6 Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity
which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter:
for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair
and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were
dead, took for his own daughter.
8 So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree
was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto
Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was
brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai,
keeper of the women.
17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained
grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that
he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead
of Vashti.
18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and
his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the
provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.
19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time,
then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.
20 Esther had not yet shown her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai
had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai,
like as when she was brought up with him.
21 In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two
of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which
kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king
Ahasuerus.
22 And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther
the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's
name.
23 And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found
out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written
in the book of the chronicles before the king.

The Second
Lesson
Acts 27:27-44
27 But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven
up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that
they drew near to some country;
28 And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had
gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen
fathoms.
29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast
four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
30 And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when
they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though
they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,
31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these
abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
32 Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her
fall off.
33 And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to
take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have
tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.
34 Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your
health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any
of you.
35 And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks
to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he
began to eat.
36 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some
meat.
37 And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and
sixteen souls.
38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and
cast out the wheat into the sea.
39 And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered
a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded,
if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.
40 And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves
unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoisted up the
mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.
41 And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the
ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable,
but the hinderpart was broken with the violence of the waves.
42 And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest
any of them should swim out, and escape.
43 But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their
purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast
themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
44 And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of
the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe
to land.

The First
Lesson
1 Samuel 15:10-23
10 Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying,
11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he
is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments.
And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.
12 And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it
was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he
set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone
down to Gilgal.
13 And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be
thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD.
14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep
in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
15 And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites:
for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen,
to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly
destroyed.
16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what
the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say
on.
17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight,
wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the
LORD anointed thee king over Israel?
18 And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly
destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until
they be consumed.
19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD,
but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of
the LORD?
20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of
the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have
brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the
Amalekites.
21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief
of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice
unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.
22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings
and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold,
to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat
of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness
is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word
of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

The Second
Lesson
Luke 17:1-10
1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that
offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his
neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one
of these little ones.
3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee,
rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven
times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt
forgive him.
5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed,
ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the
root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
7 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle,
will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field,
Go and sit down to meat?
8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may
sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken;
and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?
9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were
commanded him? I trow not.10 So
likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are
commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done
that which was our duty to do.

The First
Lesson
Esther 3:1-12
1 After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son
of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat
above all the princes that were with him.
2 And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate,
bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning
him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.
3 Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said
unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?
4 Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he
hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether
Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he
was a Jew.
5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence,
then was Haman full of wrath.
6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they
had shown him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought
to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom
of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.
7 In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth
year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before
Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth
month, that is, the month Adar.
8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people
scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces
of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither
keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's
profit to suffer them.
9 If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed:
and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of
those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into
the king's treasuries.
10 And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto
Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.
11 And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee,
the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.
12 Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day
of the first month, and there was written according to all that
Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors
that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people
of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every
people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was
it written, and sealed with the king's ring.

The Second
Lesson
Acts 28:1-15
1 And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island
was called Melita.
2 And the barbarous people showed us no little kindness: for
they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the
present rain, and because of the cold.
3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them
on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened
on his hand.
4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his
hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer,
whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth
not to live.
5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.6 Howbeit
they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead
suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no
harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he
was a god.
7 In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the
island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us
three days courteously.
8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of
a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed,
and laid his hands on him, and healed him.
9 So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the
island, came, and were healed:
10 Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed,
they laded us with such things as were necessary.
11 And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria,
which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.
12 And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.
13 And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium:
and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day
to Puteoli:
14 Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them
seven days: and so we went toward Rome.
15 And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came
to meet us as far as Appiiforum, and The three taverns: whom
when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.

The First
Lesson
1 Samuel 15:24-34
24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed
the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared
the people, and obeyed their voice.
25 Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again
with me, that I may worship the LORD.
26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for
thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected
thee from being king over Israel.
27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the
skirt of his mantle, and it rent.
28 And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of
Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of
thine, that is better than thou.
29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for
he is not a man, that he should repent.
30 Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee,
before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again
with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God.
31 So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the
LORD.
32 Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the
Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said,
Surely the bitterness of death is past.
33 And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so
shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag
in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.
34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to
Gibeah of Saul.

The Second
Lesson
Luke 17:11-19
11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed
through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten
men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master,
have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go show yourselves
unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they
were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back,
and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks:
and he was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but
where are the nine?
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save
this stranger.
19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made
thee whole.

The First
Lesson
Esther 4:1, 5-17
1 When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his
clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the
midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
5 Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains,
whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment
to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.
6 So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city,
which was before the king's gate.
7 And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and
of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the
king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.
8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that
was given at Shushan to destroy them, to show it unto Esther,
and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should
go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make
request before him for her people.
9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
10 Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto
Mordecai;
11 All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces,
do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto
the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one
law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king
shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have
not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.
12 And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.
13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself
that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the
Jews.
14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then
shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from
another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed:
and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such
a time as this?
15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan,
and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night
or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will
I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and
if I perish, I perish.
17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther
had commanded him.

The Second
Lesson
Acts 28:16-31
16 And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners
to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by
himself with a soldier that kept him.
17 And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the
chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together,
he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed
nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was
I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
18 Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because
there was no cause of death in me.
19 But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal
unto Caesar; not that I had aught to accuse my nation of.
20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you,
and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I
am bound with this chain.
21 And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of
Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came
showed or spake any harm of thee.
22 But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning
this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.
23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to
him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the
kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of
the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till
evening.
24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed
not.
25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed,
after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost
by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear,
and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:27 For
the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull
of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should
see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand
with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal
them.
28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God
is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had
great reasoning among themselves.
30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and
received all that came in unto him,
31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which
concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding
him.